Davenport bed



Jail 19, 1932- R. cooPERsMlTH 1,842,248

DAVENPORT BED Filed Dec. 11, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'TTA/EX Jan. 19,1932. R. cooPERsMlTH DAVENPORT BED Filed Dec. l1, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR Jan- 19, 1932- R. cooPERsMlTH 1,842,248

DAVENPORT BED Filed Deo. 11, 1929 '5 Sheets-Sheet` 3 INVENTOR I ATTORNEYPatented Jan. 19, 1932 NFerarri olf-'rice BUDLPI-ICOOPERSMITH, 0F ST.LOUIS, MISSOURI DAVENPORT Brin Application iled December 11, `1929.Serial No. 413,175.

This invention relates to improvements in collapsible beds that may beopened or exl tended to form a full size bed or that may Y be closed orcollapsed to forma davenport, couch, or equivalent elongated article offurniture for seating or loungingpurposes.

In prior davenport beds in which a pair of bed-bottoms or frames weresuperposed in the frame or box of the davenport when closed, and inwhich the upper bottom was lifted out over thefront of the box and setdown on the floor in front of the davenport frame while the lower bottomwas raised to the levelof the opened upper bottom, an objectionablefeature was that only a very thin mattress, not more thanone andone-half inchesin thiclmess (known-as an eighteen pound mattress), couldbe accommodated in thebed without `its intercepting or interfering withparts of the bed or mechanism durt ing the openingor closing movements.r`lhin mattresses are unduly hard and uncomfortable, and haveto becovered with thickblan- `kets to` soften the bed. Y

- Accordingly, the principal aim of the'present invention is theprovision of a bed of this character whose opening and closing movementsare such that they will not be obstruct` ed if a regulation bedmattress, such as a Hthirty-flvepound mattress (about three and Otherobjects, advantages and desirable features of the invention, chieflymore or less ancillary to the foregoing, will appear in the course ofthe following description of an illustrative embodiment of the spiritthereof.

rlhe illustrative embodiment of the invention preferably, though notnecessarily in all of its aspects, includes some features of 1mprovementin bed davenports that have been disclosed and claimed in the presentinventors prior application for United States patent for bed davenport,Serial 378,860, filed July 17, 1929. Brieiy described, the illustrativeembodiment of the present invention comprises upper and lower bed-bottomsections as is usual in beds of this character; but the presentinvention contemplates, in the closing ofthe bed, that the lowerbed-bottom one-half inches thick), at least, is used therep lsection orframe shall be lowered, with the mattress folded thereon, prior to thelifting Y of the upper bottomframe from its position on the flooroutside of the davenport frame, in contradistinction to the closingmovement of prior beds, in which the upper bottom frame was liftedwithout a preliminary lowering of the lower bottom frame and was therebyshifted in such close proximity to the lower bottom frame as to precludethe use of a mattress thereon of ordinary weight or thickness thereon.The preliminary descent cf the lower frame of the present inventionproduces more clearance for the passage thereover of the upper bottoniframe, where- 65 by a heavier mattress may be used without itsinterfering withthe closing movement of the upper bottom frame. Theinvention, also, resides in the provisionof means whereby thepreliminary descent of the lower bed-bottom frameA will be accomplishedautomatically by the act of folding the mattress.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like nurnbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure l is a plan view of the bed extended or open, the davenport framebeing shown in horizontal section and other parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, showing fragments of thedavenport frame to exhibit the connection of the bed-bottoms i andmechanism with the said frame;`

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the mat- 85 tress folded and partlylowered, but with the upper bottom frame still on the floor outside ofthe davenport frame, parts being` broken away to reveal other partsconcealed thereby;` and .showing an intermediate position of themattress-folding mechanism in brokenand-dotted lines; Y

Y Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view exhibiting the meansfor securing the mattress to the mattress-folding mechanism;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the end of the bed shown in Figures 2 and 3showingthe completely closed position of thebed in full lines, and anintermediate position of the upper bottom frame in broken-and-dottedlines;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View taken on the line 66 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 7-7 in Figure6; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlargement view showing details of the catchand assom ciated parts for securing the bed-bottom supports in thedavenport frame.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention comprises a davenportskeleton or-outer frame 1, ordinarily formed. of. wood in the 15conventional manner, that supports 'and gives form to the upholsteringmaterial with which it is covered` a base frame 2 supported in thedavenport frame 1 so as to be bodily removable therefrom, a bed-bottomformed tvo'f a pair of sections 3 and 4, movable supports -5 in whichthe rear bed-bottom section or frame 3 is supported so as to beshiftable vertically with relation thereto, mechanism for simultaneouslyfolding the mattress and aeflowering the rear or lower bed-bottom frame3 relatively to the movable supports 5 that support the latter, andmechanism connecting the frame 5 and the upper or front bedbottomsection or frame 4 whereby the sec- :zn'etions 3 and 4 may be`superposed in the frame 1 or extended in side-by-side relation to form afull-size open bed. The said frames 2, 3, 4, the supports 5 and the saidmechanisms are preferably formed chiefly of angle iron asia-nd flat bariron sections riveted or otherwise rigidly and suitably securedtogether.

The base frame 2 comprises rear corner angle uprights 6, front cornerangle uprights 7, a rear angle beam 8 connecting the lower 4o rends-ofthe rear uprights 6, flat bar beams 9 at respective ends of thedavenport and connecting the upper ends of the front and rear uprightsthereat, bars 10 depending from intermediate portions of the beams 9,respecfwtively, and corner braces 11 obliquely disposed in a verticalplane so as to subtend the corners between the angle beam 8 and the rearuprights 6 and having their opposite ends secured to the beam 8 and theadjacent upr`right respectively. rlhe front internal corners of thedavenport frame 1 are lined with upright. angle bars 12, suitablysecured to the frame 1 as by screws or bolts 13, as shown in Figure 6,and havingl riveted or otherwise 55 suitably attached thereto in thelower end of the front flanges 14 of said bars 12, the studs 15projecting interiorly from said flanges and being preferably providedwith heads 16 on their outer ends. rPhe front fianges 17 of the "l0Vuprights? are provided with notches 18 eX- tending upwardly from theirlower ends, said notches being adapted for receiving said studs 15. Therear portions of the beams 9 are bowed outwardly at 19 to engage the Gr'outer frame 1 thereat, said engaging por.-

tions 19 being provided with notches 20, eX- tending upwardly from theirlower edges and adapted to receive screws 21 that project interiorlyfrom the frame 1 thereat. rlhe base frame 2 is locked to the outer frame1 by catches 22 that are pivoted at 23 to the inner sides of the bars 9so that they may be swung. intopositon for closing the lower ends of thenotches 2O to lock the frames together, as shown in Figure 2, or intoposition foropening the-lowerendsof the notches 20, as shown in Figure8, thereby allowing base frame 2 to be lifted up out of outer ordavenportL frame 1. he catches 22 are preferably in the form ofdepending plates having notches 24 in `one side .thereof to receive thescrews 21. The inner ends of screws 21 are preferably provided with wingnuts 25 that may be turned to clamp the catches 22 in locking orsecuring positions.

The rear bedbottom frame 3'comprises right'and leftangle bars 26 and 27,respectively, rigidly connected together byl rear angle bar 28 and frontangle bar 29. rlhe front bed-bottom frame 4 comprises right and leftangle bars 30 and 31, respectively, rigidly connected together by rearangle bar 32 and front angle bar 33. Rear angle bar 32 is positioned aslight distance forward of the rear extremity of bars 30 and 31, and thehorizontal flanges-34 ofbars'30 and 31 are cut away at their rearextremities -to retract their rear edges 35 to accommodate the frame 3.Rear or lower bed-bottom frame3 is borne by the angle bar supports 5 soas to be vertically shiftable with relation thereto, prefer-V ably bymeans-of front' links 37- and rear links 38; said front links 37 beingpivotedat 39 to the respective angle. bars- 26 and 27, and at 40 to thevertically projectedianges 41 of thefrespective supporting. angle bars5; and said rear links 38 being pivoted at 42 to the respective anglebars 25 and 26, and at 43 to the flanges 41 of the respective bars 36.Plates 44 are rigidly secured to the anterior portions of the flanges 4lofthe angle bars 36 and rise upwardly therefrom; and L- shaped arms 45are'rigidly secured tothe upper ends of platesv44 and rise verticallytherefrom and then extend anteriorly a suitable distance. Levers 46,pivoted at 47 to the lower ends of the depending brackets or hangers f10, comprise.r upwardly extending arms 48, havingtheir upperezrtremitiesrpivoted atf49 to the rear portions of flanges 41 of angle bars 5,*anddependingarms 50, having their lower extremitiesA pivoted at 51 to oneend of'contractile helical springs52, the opposite end of which ispivoted at 53 to the lower end of the uprights 5. L-shaped arms 54 arepivoted at their lower'endsat 55 to the lower portion ofV the lateralfla-nge 56 Aof the respective uprights '7- intermediate ltheir bends andpivotsv 55 by pins 57 aixedthereto and working inzslots 58'inthe;plates,44, re

spectively; and` at their other extremities by pins 59"V to the`intermediate portions of the barsy30 and 31, respectively. Dependingplates or hangers 60, rigidly secured tothe `anterior portions of thebars 30 and 31, have their lower ends pivoted at 61 to the upper ends oflegs 62, ther intermediate portions of which are pivoted at 63 to oneextremity of respective links 64. The arms 54 are preferably providedwith extensions 65 that incline forwardlyfrom the pivots 59, and theforward extremities `of these extensions 65 are pivoted at 66 to theother extremities of the links 64. The arms 54 are braced together byarod 67 in juxtaposition to the pivots 55, the ends of the rod beingsquared as at 68 to fit into square openings in the arms 54, and theextremities 69 of these squared ends being flattened against the outersides of the arms 54 in rivet-like fashion to make a rigid joint throughwhich torque will be. transmitted to the `rod 67 and therethrough toopposite lever 54, whereby `both levers 54 are compelled to rotatetogether, as best shownin Figures 6 and 7. Levers 70 are pivoted at 71to the beams 9 intermediately of the hangers 10 and uprights 7, and theupper extremities of these levers are pivoted at 72 to angles 7 3,rigidly secured to the rear extremities'of` the bars 3U and31respectively. Helical springs74 and 75 are pivoted at one end at 76and 77, spectively, tothe bowed portions 19 of the beams 9, and at theother end through the intermediacy of links 78 to the pins or studs 79and80, respectively, rigidly secured to the arms 70 at points oppositelylocated from the pivots 71, so that the springs 74 contract while thesprings 75 expand, and vice versa. The bars 26, 27, 28, and 29 of therear frame 3 may, of course, be provided with apertures 81 to receivethe cross supporting Wires 82 of a bed spring 83, which may be of anysuitable or conventional type. A similar bed spring 84 may be likewiseborne by the bars 30, 81, 32, and 33 of the front frame 4. A covering`85ofthe Vusual type may be placed over the spring 84, the ends beingsecured4 to wooden blocks 86 and 87 secured to the under-` to the freeends of the horizontal extensionsy 91 of L-shaped` arms 45, Links 92have their anterior ends pivoted at 93 to the leg portions 94 of theframe 88, and their posterior ends pivoted at 95 to the upper ends ofthe rising extensions 96 of the links 37. The mattress 89 is formed oftwo mattresses or front and rear sections 97 and `98, respectively,hinged together by a seam 99 on their upper sides 100, whereby the endfaces101 of the two sections at the said seam adjoin one another, andtheupper faces form one continuous surface, when the bed is extended asin Figures 1 and 2. The front mattress section 97 is provided on itsfront end face 102, and side end faces 103, with flaps 104, that arestitched Vand depend preferably from the upper marginal edge 105 of thefront section 97. The U-shaped mattressfolding frame 88 extends over theend faces 102, 103, and 103 of the mattress, and is covered and held inplace by the flaps 104, whose free edges 106 are secured by means ofpairs of tied cords 107 and 108, the cords 107 being affixed to theflaps 104,` and the cords 108 be* ing aiiixed to the lower marginal edge109 of the front mattress v97.

The construction of the bed having been fully described, its mode ofoperation will be readily understood. To close the bed from 'the openposition exhibited by Figures 1 and 2, the mattress-folding frame 88 islifted up and then back and then lowered to the position Vshown inFigure 3, thereby folding the front section 97 on `the seam 99 until itrests on' the rear section 98, as shown in ifigure 3. `he folding of theframe 88 automatically effects ,he descent of the rear or lowerbed-bottom frame 3 with relation to the then stationary supports 5 forthe frame ing such that `the frame 4 is slightly inclined toward therear during that phase of its movement indicated by broken-and-dottedlines in Figure 5. Illhe counter-clockwise rotation of arms 54 shiftsthe front of supports 5 and of rear frame 3 to the rear, rather thandownwardly, at first, through the intermediation of pins 57, slots 58,and plates 44. By reason of lthe initially rearwardly inclined positionof arms 48, however, the backward movement ci' the supports 5 and of theframe 8 is accompanied by the depression of the pivots 49 and thetilting ofthe frame 3 to depress its rear end so that the folded mattress 89 thereon will clear and pass underneath the bottoni of thedavenport back support or cushion 110. it will be observed that theframes 3 and 4 are close together when they are in the open positionexhibited 1n Figures 1 and 2, that they are farther apart j when themattress is Jfolded as shown in Figure 3, and that this horizontalspacing of the frames is increased during the initial portion of theclosing movement of frame 4 by reason of the horizontal component of thelifting movement of frame 4 being less than the horizontal component ofthe simultaneous movementof frame 3. Moreover, at this stage, frame 4 isascending, while the vertical component of the movement of the front endof frame 3 is practically nil. Each of these characteristics of themovements of the frames 3 and 4 as explained in the aforesaid priorapplication Serial 378,860, is desirable as tending to preventinterference between the frame 4 and the folded mattress on the frame 3,especially at their points of closest approach, indicated inbroken-and-dotted lines in Figure 5. y

The preliminary lowering of the reary frame 3 by the folding of themattress preparatory to lifting and retracting the front frame 4,however, is a feature of the present invention that spaces thesuperposed frames 3 and 4 further apart and thereby permits the use of aheavier and more comfortable mattress. As the closing movementcontinues, rear frame 3 is lowered while front frame 4 is shifted overthe front wall 111 of the davenport Vframe 1 and into position in theframe 1l directly over the rear frame 3, until the parts occupy thefinal closed positions indicated in full lines in Figure 5. ln thisposition, rear frame 3 is maintained in horizontal position,counter-clockwise tilting being prevented by the engagement of the rearend of the frame 3 with the upper side of the horizontal flange 112 ofbar 8 of frame 2, and clockwise tilting` being prevented by reason oftheengagement of the pins 57 of arms 54 with the slots 58 of plates 44.Frame 4 is, also, maintained horizontally when in closed position byreason of the engagement of arms with the upper ends 113 of hangers 10simultaneously with the engagement of blocks 87 with the upper face offront wall 111. The slots 58 allow for variation of the distance betweenthe pivots 49 and 57, thereby permitting a more compact arrangementofthe mechanism with less liability of interference of parts than if thelevers or arms 48 'and 54 had to be constrained to movements andpositions imposed by the necessity of maintaining unvarying and constantthe said distances throughout the cycle of operations. When the bed isopen, as in Figures 1 and 2, the engagement of plates 44 with angle bars6 prevents supports 36 from being shifted too far to the right under theimpulsion of springs 52, and angles T3 engage the upper edge of arms 54to prevent counter-clockwise tilting of frame 4, thereby preventingfurther clockwise movement of arms 54 when the legs 62 rest on the floor114. The bed is, therefore, stable in both its open and closedpositions, the weight of the front frame bearing on the arms 54 andthereby preventing counter-clockwise rotation of said arms, therebypreventing rearward movement of pivot 57 and, consequently, the descentof the rear bottom frame 3. It will be observed that the interpositionofthe plates 60 between the .legs 62 and bars 30 and 31 enables thepivotV points 61 to be lowered so that shorter legs 62 may be employedand a lower position of the pivot point 63 obtained, thereby allowingthe extension arms 65 and the links 64 to be located below the level ofthe mattress on the'spring 84 when the bedvis open; and, when the bed isbeing closed, to lift the legs 62 so that ,they cannot interfere withthe front-wall 111 of the outerframe 1. Moreover, the legs 62 willstraddle the folded mattress 89 when the bed is being closed and whileit is in' closed position, the feet 115 of legs 62 passing between arms54 and links 55, as best shown in Figure 5. It will, also, be observedthat the bed .can be easily opened, since both bed-bottom sections 3 and4 are not lifted up together in the outer frame 1; but, `at thebeginning of the opening movement, only upper frame 4 is lifted` whilelower frame 3 and supports 5 are being tilted; then, front frame 4 isshifted forwardly over the front wall 111 of the frame 1 and descends tothe floor on the outside of the davenport while the rear frame 3 andsupports ascend simultaneously, so that the weight of the front frame 4,in descending to open position on the floor counterbalances the weightof the rear frame and supports thatare ascending at the same time. Theweight of the rear frame 3and supports 5, moreover, is counterbalancedby the springs 52; and the weight of the front frame 4, when beinglifted in its rear positon, is counterbalanced by the force exerted bystretched spring 75, spring 74 being slack, and when being Vlifted inits front position is counterbalanced by the force exerted by thestretched spring 74, spring 75 then being slack. vWhen the bed isclosed, the usual cushion may be placed on the covering on the upperspring 84, and the top of the cushion will not be unduly high beca-useythe spring 84 and frame 4 are lower when the bed is closed than they arewhen it is open. Furthermore, the frames 2, 3, and 4, the supports, andtheir connecting mechanism may be quickly and bodily removed from theouter davenportv frame 1 by `loosening the wing nuts 24, shiftingcatches 21 to open the lower ends of notches 19, and thence liftingframe 2 up out of frame 1. Repairs or inspection of the parts or theirdisconnection from the other parts of the structure may then be mademore easily since they are no longer so diiiic'ult of access as theyvmight be were it imiossible to remove the frames 2, 3, and 4 from thedavenport without first disorganizing theparts. It will be observed thatthe pockets formed on the end faces 102, 103, and 103 of'the'mattress 97by the flaps 104 are sufi'ieiently wide to allow ample vertical play ofthe mattress-folding frame 88 therein, and the arrangement is such thatthe frame 88 does notV project higher'than the upper face open or foldedpositions. There are, therefore, no projections that rise above theupper surface of the mattress to interfere and produce discomfort to theoccupant of the bed.

Having thus fully described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefitof all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it isevident that many minor changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or the scope of the foln lowingclaims.

I claim: y l. In a bed of the character described the combination with asupporting frame, a support borne thereby, a rear bed bottom sectionborne by said support, a front bed botn tom section borne by said frame,means for Vfolding a "mattress over said rear section,

mechanism actuated by said mattress-folding means 'forlowering said rearsection and means for swinging said front section over said rearsection.

2. In a bed of the character described, the combination, with a pair ofbed bottom sections, including means whereby one of the sections isshiftable from one to the other of positions above and at the side ofthe other section, respectively, of means for lowering said `othersection independently of said one section when said sections are side byside, and mechanism whereby said other section is `lowered still furtherwhile said one section is being superposed thereon.

3. In a bed of the character described, the combination, with a pair ofbed bottom sec* tions, including means whereby one of the sections isshiftable from one to the other of alternative positions above and atthe side of the other section, respectively; of means for folding themattress so that it lies only on said other section and lowering saidother section; and mechanism whereby sai-d other section is loweredstill further as said one section is shifted into position above saidother section.

4. In a bed of the character described, the combination, with front andrear bed bottom sections including means whereby the front section isshiftable `from one to the other of alternative positions above and atthe side of the rear section, respectively; of means for lowering therear section independently of the front section when the sections areside by side, and mechanism whereby the rear section is shiftedrearwardly and lowered still further when said front section is shiftedrearwardly in superposition to said rear section.

5. In a bed of the character described, the combination of a supportingframe, a support shiftably borne thereby, a rear bed bottom sectionborne by said support, means for shifting said section vertically ofsaid support, and a front bed bottom section borne by said frame, meansfor shifting the same from one to the other of alternative positions infront of and above the rear section, respectively, and means wherebysaid support is shifted rearwardly and downwardly when said frontVsection is shifted rearwardly. i

6. In a bed of the character described, a main supporting frame, frontand rear bottom frames, a support for the rear bottom frame; arm meanspivotally borne by the main supporting frame and pivoted at one point tothe front portion of the rear frame support and at another point to aportion of the front frame intermediate of its front and rear, arm meanspivotally borne by the main supporting frame and pivoted tothe rearportion of the rear frame support; arm meansl pivotally borne by themain supporting frame and pivoted to the rear portion of the necting therear frame and its support whereby the rear frame is shiftablevertically rela i tively to said support.

7. In a bed of the character described, a

main supporting frame, front and rear bottom frames, a support for therear bottom frame, arm means pivotally borne by the main supportingframe and pivoted at one point to the front portion of the rear framesupport and at another point to a portion of the front frameintermediate of its front and rear, arm means pivotally borne by themain supporting frame and pivoted to the rear portion of the rear framesupport; arm means pivotally borne by the main supporting frame andpivoted to the rear portionof the front frame, arm means pivotallyconnecting the rear frame and its support whereby the rear frame isshiftable vertically relatively to said support; a mattress-foldingframe pivoted to said rear frame support and means associated with saidsupport whereby the rear frame is lowered `relatively to the rear framesupport when said mattress-folding frame is folded.

8. In a bed of the character described, the combination with a pair ofbed bottom sections including means whereby one of the sections isshiftable from one to the other of positions above and at the side ofthe other section, respectively, of means for shifting said othersection vertically independently of said one section and means for stillfurther vertically shifting said other section as said one section isdisposed above said other section.

9. In a bed of the character described, the

combination of a supporting frame, a supsaid. section relatively to saidsupport when ico said maittress-folling means is operatedA to fold themattress, and means whereby said Ysupport is lowered as saidfrontseetion is shifted` rearwardly.

In testimony whereof I hereuntoy aHX-my signature.

RUDOLPH COOPER-SMITH.

